Aniki's Guard
by Madrigal-in-training
Summary: Naruto develops an impressive tolerance towards killing intent from a young age.


_**Naruto develops an impressive tolerance towards killing intent from a young age. **_

_**xxxxxx**_

A flood of Zabuza's killing intent was directed at the genin, making Sasuke and Sakura stiffen and struggle to breathe. It was heavy. It was merciless. It was suffocating them-

"Dobe, why don't you look scared?" Sasuke paused in his terror to glare indignantly over at the relaxed blonde. Sakura also noticed that their other teammate wasn't shaking in fear and shared the Uchiha's ire.

"Oh," Naruto chuckled, "Funny story, actually…"

xxxxxx

An adorable, eight year old child was cheerfully making his way through Konoha's market. Despite being a jinchuuriki, he was greeted with slightly nervous smiles and offerings of fruit by the vendors around him. With a sunny smile, Naruto accepted a proffered apple, and made his way to the vegetable stand.

"Hello vendor-san," Naruto greeted politely, "May I have some tomatoes?"

The vendor, a middle-aged man by the name of Kiaru, sneered. He had lost several members of his family to the Kyuubi attack, and was one of the few people to treat the demon boy poorly. Heedless of the pale visages and shaking heads of the people around him, or the vendors nearby who were slowly edging away, Kiaru gave the child a cold smile.

"Get away from here, brat," Kiaru said harshly, "I don't serve no de-"

The man suddenly paused, choking on his words, as a blast of punctuated killing intent hit. The midday breeze slowed around them, becoming thick and sluggish, as the sky darkened several shades. Light storm clouds started covering the sun, and the vivid colours of the vegetables muted to gray-tinged shades.

Then, as suddenly as it appeared, the feeling was withdrawn and the day turned much brighter.

"Eh, mister, are you alright?" Naruto inquired, reaching a hand toward the dry-heaving Kiaru.

Before he could touch the cringing man, another vendor snatched his hand and dragged him away. "Come with me, Naruto-kun. I have an excellent selection of tomatoes today," the other man assured, in a high-pitched, forcefully happy tone.

Naruto blinked, nonplussed, but allowed himself to be led away and offered all manner of produce. He tried to pay for them, but the vendor waved him off, muttering something about settling the bill with ANBU suffering brother complexes. The vendor even offered Naruto a foiled rice cake, which was gleefully accepted, before sending him on his way.

As Naruto tottered off with his bag of tomatoes, the vendor sighed, relieved, and then turned to scold Kiaru. For his part, the blonde gently broke his treat into two roughly shaped halves, gobbled one, and then left the other wrapped in foil on a nearby bench. Then he dragged the main ingredients of his future salad home.

xxxxxxx

Kakashi smirked as he watched the adorable blonde walk home. Once he was sure that Naruto was safely ensconced in his apartment, the Hatake doubled back and the snathed the rice cake off the bench. His cute little brother was so generous! Carefully avoiding the two or three squirrels who had suffered heart attacks from his episode, Kakashi sat down and munched on his snack.

The silver-haired teen had been so angry when he was denied access to his precious brother, and had caused such an appropriately infuriated ruckus that the Elders finally loosened his bans. (It was the Hatake, and not the Third Shinobi War, that was responsible for the Sandaime's baldness). Kakashi was still forbidden from speaking to Naruto, but he _could _subtly look after the child's well-being. And Kakashi could work with that. Kakashi was all about subtlety!

So Kakashi secretly guarded the blonde, with punctuated bursts of killing intent aimed at anyone who looked even vaguely disgruntled in Naruto's general direction. Almost all prejudice against the resident jinchuuriki had disappeared overnight. Through violent intimidation of his fellow villagers, he had secured his baby brother's safety.

Minato-sensei would have been… probably less proud than Kushina-nee. But Naruto was happy and healthy, so Kakashi decided that he was fulfilling his duty as the blonde's big brother.

And if Minato-sensei didn't want him to have such a pronounced vengeful streak, than maybe he should have found a different maternal figure for Kakashi, than Kushina-nee.

xxxxxxx

Itachi Uchiha furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as he looked at the bills from Konoha's market. Since when had Sasuke gained such an appreciation for fruits and vegetables, and, more importantly, why did he never offer to share?


End file.
